


Jack's Quest

by Ree923



Series: Challenges [3]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Family, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:07:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28833900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ree923/pseuds/Ree923
Summary: Third story in Challenges universe. Jack has set off, alone, to find out who he wants to be. Of course, he's followed by his friends and former lover. Jack is going to find that no matter where - or when - you are, your past will always find a way to find you.
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Original Female Character(s), Jack Harkness/Other(s), Ninth Doctor/Rose Tyler, Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Series: Challenges [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/58391
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

“Quest chosen, return when complete,” a voice intoned from thin air. Jack looked around but couldn’t see anyone. Damn, he didn’t have the sonic blaster with him but how was he supposed to know he’d need it walking around the Tardis?

Walking towards the fortress, he heard a scream and saw a young woman on foot being chased by three men on horseback. The three horses were circling the girl and she stared up at them in terror. Jack smiled. He didn’t know where the hell he was, but he had the feeling things were about to get interesting.

Jack watched the three horsemen for a few moments before formulating a plan. Well, plan was a bit much — more like a reckless, headlong jump into craziness that most likely would get him trampled by horses. It certainly beat standing around watching an innocent dark haired maiden captured by evil guards on horseback. He was Jack Harkness, damn it, and he would not be denied his glory. Smiling again he ran towards the fun, yelling obscenities at the top of his lungs and jumping around like a lunatic. As he was only wearing tight fitting black jeans and a smile, this certainly got their attention.

The girl met his eyes and her expression flew from amazement to admiration straight back to fear within seconds. This man was about to get himself killed for her. She pulled out some grain from the bag she carried and threw it into the face of one of the horses. As the animal reared up in shock, its legs came back down barely missing the girl. She screamed and covered her eyes waiting to be trampled. At that same moment, Jack ran into the middle of the circle and flung the man off his sputtering horse, yanking the girl onto the saddle behind him and screaming at the animal to move. The horse tensed for a moment then with a final cry of frustration from the grain stinging its eyes, was galloping away from its master.

Like the wind, they were racing towards the fortress. The girl looked at it in fear and clutched Jack around the waist. He liked the feel of her hands on his body, and started laughing and yelling. This was life, Jack thought, this was his life. The other two men on horseback were right behind them and gaining on them, leaving the third man swearing in the dust where he’d fallen.

“No! Into the woods, where they can’t find us,” she shouted. Giving her a look of slight surprise, Jack spun the horse around and headed back towards the trees. The man left behind raised his hands to grab the horse’s reins as they sped past, but Jack muttered something to the animal and it leaped over the dumbstruck guard in a graceful arc. The man yelled curses at them and shook his head before realizing the threats were meaningless. The two were gone. The guard kicked the ground and realized something else. They had his horse.

The other two guards went to chase the pair into the trees, but they'd come back emptyhanded. They always did once the girl made it to the woods, and the idiot child would be back again to try to rescue her grandfather before too long. He was going to go back to the barracks and drink. Then he'd face his master.

Grumbling to himself, he started the long walk back to the castle. The Duke was not going to be pleased that his bride had escaped them. Again.

As he walked, he noticed there were people running towards him, a tall powerful man followed by a girl and youth. Pausing in his walk, he regarded them warily.

"And just would you three be?" the guard growled. The Doctor pulled out his psychic paper and flashed it at the man. Eyes widening, he stammered an apology. The Doctor glared at him like the man was a simple fool, which of course, he was. He didn't even see the phantom doorway standing behind them, but the Doctor knew that people only saw what they expected to see most of the time.

"Our driver abandoned us in the middle of the woods and stole our belongings while my servants were off gathering herbs for my elixers. Much was lost and I fear I will need to start my research over soon somewhere safe. Do you know of such a place?" Rose's eyes had widened at the use of the term servant, but she kept her mouth shut and promised to herself that he would pay for the mistake later. Repeatedly.

"My master, the Duke, is in need of your services, Doctor," Rose went to say something but the Doctor glared at her. Mentally he sent her a reassurance that the psychic paper had shown him to be an alchemist. She shot him back a warning that she wasn't fetching his slippers on this trip, and he suppressed a grin. Arek watched the silent looks between them as if they were having a conversation, and sighed. So much he didn't understand, but as long as they found Jack, all would be as it should be again.

"I would arrange transport, but as you can see, I have no horse - it was just stolen moments ago by the most strange highwayman. Bare chested and wearing strange clothing, much like -" he leered at Rose for a moment before turning back to the Doctor.

Rose noticed for the first time she was wearing a robe and not much else.

"Go ahead and tell your master we will arrive shortly, we have some urgent preparations to make." The man merely nodded and ran off in the direction of the castle.

"Jack?" Rose asked, knowing the answer. The Doctor rolled his eyes as Arek looked at him hopefully.

"Yeah, and we should go back and change our clothes before going further into this little adventure." The door opened easily and the Doctor chuckled. At Arek's confused look he smiled.

"The doors only open for me once we're through. I can just imagine Harkness trying to get back into the Tardis cursing me under his breath. Somehow that makes this funny." He grinned a lopsided grin and Rose rolled her eyes.

"Remind me to smack you when this is all over," she muttered.

"Only if I get to spank you afterwards," he whispered in her ear as he passed her on his way into the Tardis. Grinning and blushing, she ran to keep up with him. As the door closed, they didn't notice someone watching them from a nearby carriage. The small white flag had a strange symbol on it of a man with a dog's face and sharp teeth. If they had noticed, the Doctor could have translated it to show it to be the symbol of the court alchemist, Aten, the bringer of death.

Deep in the woods, Jack raced the animal further as the girl shouted directions. Jack turned to her briefly and asked her name. He noticed she had the same crazy grin he did and smiled wider if possible.

"Risa, what's yours?" the girl answered back. He noted her green eyes and then remembered they were running for their lives.

"Jack, good to meet you," he shouted as he noticed the two men on horseback were gaining on them.

"Hang on!" Jack yelled as they came to an area heavy with low hung branches. "When I tell you to, I want you to jump onto one of those branches - think you can do that?"

"Of course," she grinned back wildly. Oh this man was crazy, and she found that intoxicating. He was almost like her brothers and that made her feel safe somehow. But there was something about the way he felt under her hands. She realized for the first time that he wasn't wearing a shirt and blushed. Thankfully, he didn't notice as he sped to the trees.

"What are you going to do?" she wanted to know.

"I have no idea," he admitted, laughing. "Just get ready to jump onto the first branch you can." With that he guided the horse over a series of ditches. They both almost fell off as they leaped over the third one, but Risa had grabbed him harder and somehow they managed to stay on the horse. He hated to have her let go, but there was a job to do.

"Risa, jump!" She grabbed onto a branch and flipped easily onto it. Jack marvelled for a moment at her flexibility and spun the horse around, charging the two pursuers. Startled, they split apart to have Jack lunge between them and kick out with both feet, sending them off their horses. Risa laughed with joy, this man was amazing! Certainly he would agree to be her champion, it was the only way to get Grandfather back unharmed.

Her thoughts were interupted as Jack was below her again telling her to jump back onto the horse. Gleefully, she jumped and grabbed onto her hero's waist once more. Giggling like old friends, they were quickly swallowed up by the heavy growth of trees, leaving two battered and confused guards behind to find their horses and find their way home to explain it all to the Duke. Groaning they helped each other up and wandered out of the forest, not bothering to search for the animals - they'd lost too much time on this mission already.

Somewhere in the woods, the horses made a sound that sounded suspiciously like laughter, but the guards ignored it and limped away from their humiliation.


	2. Chapter 2

Once they were sure they were no longer being followed, Jack slowed the horse enough to take a good look at their surroundings. He couldn’t see the others, but he knew they were out there. The tingling feeling on the back of his neck let him know they were being watched. After years of practice, he knew that feeling without thinking about it and usually it made him ready to fight. Behind him, he could feel Risa tense a little but it didn't seem to be out of fear. Turning his head a bit to study her expression he found himself smiling.

“So, where are they?” At her stunned look, he laughed and pulled the horse to a stop. Risa slid down and looked up at Jack deep in thought . Finally, she turned towards the woods and whistled a few low tones. Within seconds Jack could see they were surrounded by archers. Risa held up her hand and shook her head at a tall man who looked like her but with brilliant blue eyes.

“No, Quinn, he is a friend,” Risa said to the man. Quinn looked at Jack as if trying to read his mind and broke out into a huge grin. He motioned to the others to lower their weapons and ran out to hug Risa, who held onto him like she hadn’t seen him in weeks.

“So, little sister, you bring back someone on your latest trip home? Are we any closer to finding Grandfather?”

“Yes! He is being held high in the mountains not far from here. The Duke was very insistent that I hold up my part of the bargain and marry him soon and he'll stop the attacks."

"But he won't," a man near Quinn stated bluntly. "And we're not fools though he thinks we are, and how do we know we can trust this man? Where did he come from, Risa?"

"Colin, hush, this man saved me from the guards, we should be thanking him," Risa said, arching one eyebrow at the man.

"You've never had trouble escaping them before," the man retorted, never taking his gaze off of Jack, "Maybe this -" he stopped waving at Jack.

"Jack Harkness," Jack supplied helpfully, bowing. He could hear feminine giggles beyond the trees and smirked.

"Jack Harkness," Colin repeated slowly. "Well, you'll have plenty of time to prove yourself to us and plenty of eyes on you till you do." He turned toward Risa and sighed.

"Sister, how close do you think Grandfather was to the elixer?"

"Elixer?" Jack asked bluntly.

The taller man, Quinn, nodded and frowned with anger. "Yes, our grandfather was the court alchemist before Aten arrived. He seems to have put some sort of a spell on the Duke of Glennen, our leader. Aten convinced Glennen to lock my grandfather away as a threat to the people. Before he was taken, Grandfather was working on an elixer that would have guaranteed our kingdom safe from - well," he stopped and looked at Risa, not sure he should continue. Colin just watched Jack's reaction, not speaking.

"Monsters like Aten," she finished darkly. "That is why Aten appeared and warped the Duke's mind. Grandfather was very close to protecting us all from harm. His papers are lost somewhere in the palace and Aten searches for them constantly. He threatens to destroy us all if we don't tell him where the papers are, and he knows Grandfather would never tell."

"Have they been torturing your grandfather?" Jack asked, alarmed. Risa shook her head.

"Not physically, no. But they constantly show him visions of his family being slaughtered. So far, he hasn't broken, he knows it is a trick of Aten, but I can sense him weakening. If I were to have a champion, someone to guard me as I searched for my grandfather's papers, I could find them and break the hold Aten has over the Duke. I keep going back and keep getting chased away when I get closer to finding the spells. Aten told Glennen to marry me so they'd have control over my powers, but they can't find me long enough to have the ceremony performed."

"Why do you keep going back alone?" Jack asked confused. He wasn't ready to ask about Risa's powers. He wasn't even sure these people were sane yet.

"My brothers can't go into the castle, they've - well, made a name for themselves with Aten and he has put up sort of a psychic barrier against the men in our group. It doesn't work on me but I know he's aware of my visits - he just can't sense where in the palace I am so I've been able to search for a time before being spotted. So far, I've been lucky, most of the guards don't really want to capture me, they don't trust Aten either, but soon they might fall under Aten's spell and forget that my grandfather is our true guide against the dark arts. Every time I go back, I manage to avoid Aten, but his hold grows stronger upon the guards and I'm finding fewer of them willing to help me escape."

"Seems like you need a rescue plan for your grandfather as well as those papers or this is just a bunch of running around, right?" Jack asked the group. The men nodded glumly.

"Well, we've come closer to finding where he is, but without those papers, we couldn't help our grandfather even if we could reach him. The darkness is too strong where he is being held and we'd all be destroyed," Risa explained. Jack thought about it then nodded.

"Well then, lucky for you all I happen to be a champion in search of a quest." Risa smiled and threw her arms around Jack who beamed at the thought of a good old fashioned dangerous adventure with no Doctor or Rose, and no expectations from anyone to be anyone other than plain old Jack. Not that he knew exactly who that was anymore, but it was a start.

The Doctor looked at Rose and Arek nodding his approval. Rose was in a long green dress embroidered with tiny pink and yellow flowers. The barest trace of makeup graced her face, and her hair was up in a proper style for a servant girl. The cleavage showing was more than acceptable, but he wouldn't mention that to her in front of Arek. He saw that the prince was admiring her dress and didn't need Rose's head to swell any more than it usually did when a good looking man noticed her. Arek was dressed in long white stockings and a mid length brown tunic. He looked at himself in disgust, shaking one brown boot clad foot in front of them to emphasize the torture he was enduring.

"I am a prince, I should not be dressed as a peasant!"

"You are a servant to Runihura, alchemist to the gods, legend of Bolos III and whatever other nonsense I can think up before getting back to the castle," the Doctor explained calmly. The three of them walked down the path and the Doctor quickly explained their identities and goals for this trip.

"You must always walk three paces behind me, call me sir, bow as you leave and never turn your back on me - it's a sign of disrespect," he was saying but Rose was lost in her own thoughts.

"Rose," he snapped his fingers in her face, startling her.

"Yeah, yeah, your majesty, bowing and scraping I'll do. Shall I lick your dinner plate clean for ya too?" There it was, that grin through the teeth that always got his attention. Coughing, he glared at her, willing the need for her to fade a bit. It wasn't working and his next sentence came out a bit more aggravated than he intended.

"Rose, please be serious. We don't need you captured again," he warned.

"Hey, who saved who? You just find Jack and get us home and we'll discuss my need to be captured," she purred. The Doctor was about to say something when Arek pointed excitedly in front of him.

"We're here, now we find Jack and go home?"

"Well, now we make our hellos, get our rooms, and figure out our next move. And did I mention you two aren't to speak until spoken to? And sir is a very important word here, I suggest you both make use of it no matter who you find yourself talking to, understand?"

"What if it's the Duchess?" Rose smirked at him and he bit back a smart remark.

"Listen, both of you, once we are through those doors, you two are my servants and you'll behave as such. Now - let's go find out what mess Harkness has gotten us all into now."

The main doors opened and guards immediately escorted the three to the main reception hall. Rose and Arek kept their eyes to the ground and tried not to mutter harshly in the Doctor's general direction. A man sat on a raised dais with a strange old man in a white robe behind the throne, watching them all with cold, black eyes. Rose caught the old man's gaze and shuddered. Him, she did not like.

"Doctor Runihura - destroyer, I like that," the man on the throne laughed. At Rose's puzzled look, the Doctor mentally sent the explanation that the name he chose was the Egyptian word for destroyer.

"Figures," she thought back at him, ignoring his look of surprise. "You've managed to destroy any chance of us sharing a room on this little adventure."

"I have my ways, wench," he thought back and she could see a glint of a promise in his eyes before he turned to look at the men before them. The blush she felt take over her face only added to her look of servitude, the Doctor thought smugly.

"Thank you for allowing a poor traveller and his servants a safe harbor, my lord," the Doctor offered, bowing. The older man whispered to the Duke who nodded and smiled at his guests.

"We have prepared rooms for you, dear Doctor - our guards will take you there to refresh yourself. Your servants will be escorted to the servant's quarters - "

"No," the Doctor said somewhat forcefully. At the Duke's surprised look, the Doctor softened his tone. "I need my servants with me at all times. My work never ends and I have constant need," he glanced at Rose, "for their assistance."

The Duke chuckled. "I see, dear Doctor, very well. I expect to see you at dinner tonight, your servants may eat in your rooms."

"Fair enough, until tonight dear Duke," the Doctor bowed, following the guards out of the room. Rose and Arek fairly ran to keep up with them, not noticing the older man's steady glare as they left.

"You are certain they are enemies?" The Duke looked up at the older man.

Aten smiled a mirthless smile and nodded. "Yes, great enemies. It will do us well to keep them near us until we can determine their goals. Then we can destroy them." He laughed at his use of the Doctor's assumed name. And if anyone had looked at the alchemist, they would have noticed his eyes glow with a deep blood red light.


End file.
